Mattress Firm

Author: Kitty Bartell
| Photographer: John Brackett

The importance of how much and how restfully we sleep has been studied, quantified, reported, and publicized. Most of us know the goal; the real trick is getting us there. Locally, it has been the mission of Mattress Firm to get us there since first opening a Lowcountry shop in Bluffton in 2007. They have now opened a beautiful new 6,400-square-foot Hilton Head Island location at 1 New Orleans Road on the south end, transforming the former Blockbuster video store into a sparkling, new, mattress and furniture flagship store; and—big bonus—it comes with all the benefits of “going local.”

Owner and island resident Adam Fazio opened the Bluffton Mattress Firm and added to the franchise footprint with their first store in Savannah. Now, under the dynamic leadership of long-time cohort Robert C. Moul, they have opened a second store in Savannah, a store and a 15,000-square-foot distribution center in Pooler, and have made another local investment with the new Hilton Head shop.

Working in partnership, Fazio and Moul have put down Lowcountry roots. Both originally from Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh and Philadelphia respectively—these partners have been in this venture together from the beginning.

“I started doing deliveries with the company. I was the warehouse manager,” Moul said. Now, a recently married Bluffton resident, he met his wife when Adam sold her a mattress three years ago. The “cute-meet” in this local love story is told with a wink-and-a-nod, and includes details about new mattresses for Sandra and her then-roommate and dinner for both women at Wild Wing, culminating in a 2011 proposal and 2012 summer wedding at Palmetto Bluff.

A natural fit for the local market, Mattress Firm and its team, make promises that get the customer the sleep they desire, at the price they require, with a spa-like level of personalized attention. According to Moul, each customer is pre-qualified, meaning that a professional Mattress Firm sleep expert will ask the customer a series of questions to determine the best fit. After the prequalification, the customer will hear, “Based on everything you’ve told me, this is the bed we recommend.” You don’t just have you try all of the firm and soft mattresses until you find one you like, a tactic experienced at other mattress stores.

This is only the beginning. The real peace of mind comes after the red carpet delivery service; and yes, they do roll out a real red carpet. Beginning in January 2013, Mattress Firm is expanding on its already successful 90-Day Satisfaction Guarantee with One Hundred Days of Happiness. “If you find a better price, or if you sleep on the mattress for up to 100 days and you’re not satisfied, bring it back,” Moul explained. “We don’t charge any restocking or exchange fees. If you don’t like it, bring it back and you’ll get another bed. We want you to be happy. It’s that simple.”

According to Moul, the local team takes the customer through the entire buying process and beyond, “We’re going to form a relationship with you from day one. In fact, by the time you leave, we will even be playing tennis or golf with you afterwards.”

The new Hilton Head Island store fulfills the Fazio-Moul vision of investing in the local community. “We’re a franchise that makes decisions based on the local environment. We don’t have to go to headquarters in another state to get approval on our decisions. We’re local people making local decisions,” Moul said.

The flagship Hilton Head Island Mattress Firm is being managed by Kimberly Morris, a Lowcountry Mattress Firm veteran since 2010. The new store will fill an island niche, Moul, said. “This is going to look like our typical franchise store, but the minute you walk in the door you know you’re very local. We’re going to be selling furniture sets which we don’t usually do. It’s going to have the light wood and beach feel of Hilton Head.” Whether you’re at home, setting up your rental away from home, or working on your second home, the new Mattress Firm is now a one-stop island resource.

The local commitment doesn’t stop with the décor. Buying “local” is more and more on the minds of shoppers today, and the community-minded individual may feel good in knowing that buying from Mattress Firm really does put money back into the community. Moul and the team have a strong philanthropic commitment to charities and events that directly impact Lowcountry residents, as well as a national philanthropic commitment that funnels benefits back to the local communities. The Mattress Firm Foundation, in support of pancreatic cancer research, impacts both local and national interests. Some of their other local commitments have been to Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department calendar fundraiser, and PurpleStride Savannah.

With a clearly local focus, Mattress Firm and its Lowcountry leaders are opening new doors and furthering their commitment to helping find the elusive good night’s sleep that we all crave, and they are here to stay to back it up. According to Moul, prices start at $49 for a twin mattress and go all the way up to the Ferrari of bedding at $12,000. As America’s number one Tempur-Pedic retailer, Mattress Firm also has the most premier bedding starting at $1,399.00 for a queen set. Every possible need can be met and is guaranteed every time.

Mattress Firm is located in Bluffton and Savannah, and now on Hilton Head Island at 1 New Orleans Road, Suite A. The team invites you to stop by the new location and inquire about promotions and giveaways celebrating the event.

About Us

In September of 2006, Celebrate Hilton Head (CH2) burst onto the scene with a fresh perspective on Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and the surrounding Low Country. At the helm was a team of young women (all under 30!) with no experience whatsoever in the publishing industry. The first year they made up the rules as they went along. CH2 (and CB2 – Celebrate Bluffton and Beyond), has evolved into a well-respected publication with over 150 advertisers and a distribution to over 47,000 locals and visitors each month.

Content ranges from Interesting Islander profiles and arts and entertainment pieces to food and wine topics and Hilton Head and Bluffton Business Profiles. CH2’s Bachelor of the Year Contest has blossomed into a greatly anticipated media event every year with viral marketing (i.e., Facebook, Twitter) contributing to the annual readership of those issues pertaining to the contest and over 700 people attending the Bachelor of the Year party held every October held at a local Hilton Head or Bluffton entertainment spot.

CH2 strives to give back to the community in which they have been so successful by sponsoring charitable events in both Hilton Head Island and Bluffton (Bluffton’s MayFest, put on by the Bluffton Rotary), donating editorial space to worthy organizations (Bold Strokes, Volunteers in Medicine, March of Dimes), and making the Hilton Head Island Rec Center the recipient of monies raised in conjunction with the Bachelor of the Year Contest.